Energizer Closure To Leave 165 People Jobless

11/09/12 6:06AM

St. Albans took a big blow yesterday afternoon, with the announcement that the
Energizer plant will be closing by next September.

165
people are expected to lose their jobs at the flashlight and lithium battery
plant.

Company
spokesman Ken Fields told the Burlington Free Press that people are using fewer
lithium batteries these days and the flashlight production will be moved to
other Energizer facilities. He says more people are using smartphones with
rechargeable batteries. And they're not using multiple devices like a pager and
a camera.

Plant
officials said it was an extremely difficult decision, but necessary due to dramatic
changes in the market. The move was part of a bigger strategy by the company to
cut its global workforce and streamline operations. The St. Louis-based company
announced Thursday it plans to cut roughly 10 percent of its workforce as part
of a cost-cutting overhaul that would eliminate about 1,500 jobs.

Commerce
Secretary Lawrence Miller says Energizer officials told him that the company's Bennington plant would not be affected by the restructuring.